Sectional grate



v A Patented Mar. I4, |899. 1W. M; EARL.

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WILLIAM M. EARL, OF GASTON IA, NORTH CAROLINA, ASSIGNOR TO VILLIAM II. WILSON AND JAMES B. BEAL, OF SAME PLACE, AND EZRA L. WILSON,

OF DALLAS, NORTH CAROLINA.

SECTIONAL GRATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 621,046, dated March 14, 1899.

`Application tiled November 6, 1897. Serial No. 65.77.664. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that LWILLIAM M. EARL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Gastonia, in the county of 'Gaston and State of North Carolina, have invented a new and useful Sectional Grate, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in cast-metal grates of that class which are conro structed in sections for the purpose of renewal of the parts when they are burned out; and the primary object that I have in view is to provide an improved construction of grates of the character defined, by which a full and free circulation of air is obtained around each and all parts of the grate to keep the same in a comparatively cool condition and at the same time to provide for the renewal of any burned-out parts of th-e grate at zo a minimum expense.-

To the accomplishment of these ends my -invention consists in the combination of bearing-rails which are adapted to be set in a combustion-chamber and are provided with openz 5 ings in their lower pendent anges to provide for the circulation of air through the same, and grate-sections each independent of the other and each consisting of'a series of transverse bars forming the grate-surface and lon.- 3o gitudinal s upporting-bars integral with the grate-bars of the section, said supporting longitudinal bars of the grate-section being of greater depth or height than the seats provided for their reception in the supporting- 3 5 rails, whereby the longitudinal bars elevate the grate-bars above and out of contact with the bearing-rail, so as to provide for a circulation of air between the bearing-rails and the endsvof the grate-bars and the invention 4o further consists in the peculiar' construction and arrangement of parts, which will be hereinafter fully described.

To enable others to understand my in vention, I have illustrated the same in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which- Figure l is a perspective view of my improved grate. Fig. 2 is avertical transverse sectional elevation through the grate on the plane indicated by the dotted line 2 2 of Fig. 5o l. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of one of the sections of the grate.

Like numerals of reference denote corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings, referring to whichl and 2 designate the bearing-rails of my improved grate. -These rails are cast separately, eachin a single piece of metal and in the form shown substantially by Fig. 1. Each bearingrail is formed with an integral pendent iiange 6o 3, which has its ends curved upwardly to join with the bar substantially as shown by Fig. l, and through this flange or web 3 of the bearingrail is provided a series of circulation-openings 4, 5, and 6. The central opening 4. is substantiallysquare or oblong in form, while the openings 5 6 are of the curved form shown by Fig. 1, and said openings are of large size, so as to provide for the free and unobstructed circulation of air to keep the grate cool and 7o prevent the bearing-railfrom warping under the heat of the fire on the grate. The construction of the bearing-rail with the series of openings in the web 3 secures a large area y or size of the air-openings and keeps the upper horizontal part of the rail in a'perfectly straight condition against warping in a vertical direction under the Weight of the grate or against deflection in a horizontalor lateral direction. The webs of each rail at the ends 8o are of inverted arched form, While the metal between the arches is vertical, forming struts at the middle of the web. The vertical stru ts are separated by the air-openings t, and the arches and struts are kept in a cooled condi- 8 5 tion by the circulation of the air, so as to cornpensate for the expansion of the upper horizontal length of the rail which, as it lies nearest to the re on the grate, is more exposed to the heat than the webs. At the same time 9o the construction and arrangement of the arches and struts in the web; of each bearingrail provide air-circulation openings of large area, said openings being of such size as to give about twenty per cent. more supply of air to the grate than is the case with ordinary grates, and thus the construction provides not only for the supply of a large volume of air to the fuel on the grate, but the air is caused to circulate through the bearing-rails -iu such a way as to keep the webs thereof in a cooled condition, such webs being constructed to utilize the contraction of the arches and struts d ue to the air circulation' to compensate for the expansion of the upper horizontal length of the beal'inglail. On its side or face which is to be placed next to the wall ot' the furnace each bearing-rail is provided with a laterally-extending spacing-lug 7, one of which is located at each end of the bearingrail. These lugs are cast integral with the bearing-rail, and they are adapted to abut against the wall of the furnace, so as to space the bearing-rail laterally in relation to the furnace-wall for the purpose of providing an opening or space for the circulation of air between the f urnace-wall and the bearing-rail. These bearing-rails are adj usted'in the combustion or grate chamber of a furnace at the proper distances apart, and in the opposing sides or faces of the rails are formed the grooves or rabbets 8, which form the seats for the removable grate-sections. The bearing-rails 1 2 are held in their proper spaced parallel relation to each other by the spacing-arms 9, which are cast as integral parts of the rail 2, to extend at right angles therefrom, and when the bearing-rails are placed iu position in the grate or combustion chamber small wedges or keys are driven in place to keep the bearing-rails in their proper places.

The gratesurface is made in a series of sections designed to be seated removably in place ou the bearing-rails to provide for the ready removal of a burned-out grate-section. I have shown a series of three of these removable grate-sections by the numerals 10 11 12; but it will be understood that the number of grate-sections may be varied according to the area or capacity of the grate. Each gratesection consists of a series of transverse gratebars 13 and two supporting-bars 14: 15, the' grate and supporting bars lying at right angles to each other. The bars 13, forming the grate-surface, are parallel to each other and properly spaced apart, but the supportingbars 14 15 are below the grate-bars, parallel to each other and within the terminals of said grate-bars. Thelongitudinalsupporting-bars for the grate-section are spaced apart a distance corresponding to the distance between the bearing-rails, and said supporting-bars of the grate-section are of a depth or height greater than the depth of the grooves or recesses in the bearing-rails. These supporting-bars 14 15 of each grate-section are adapt'- ed to fit snugly in the seats formed by the grooves or recesses in the bearing-rails for the purpose of holding the grate-section steadily in position and so as to elevate the gratesurface formed by the bars 13 a suitable and proper distance above the bearing rails, whereby the grate-surface does not come in contact with the bearing-rails. This is an important feature in the construction of my improved grate, because it provides for the free circulation of air between the grate-bars and the bearing-rails, and such circulation of air tends to promote the combustion ot the fuel as well as to lower the temperature of the grate-bars and the bearing-rails. The grate-sections are adapted to abut endwise against one another, and they are thus held in position against lateral or sidewise displacement by the seats of the hearing-rails and against endwise displacement by the grate-sections abutting against each other and the walls of the furnace.

My grate-sections are of corresponding size and form, and they are fitted to the bearingrails in a way to be readily lifted off from the same and to allow the section or sections remaining on said rails to be moved lengthwise thereon toward the rear of the furnace,`thus forming a space at the front of the furnace, into which a new section may be placed. lt iswell known that it is impracticable with grates of ordinary construction to replace a bu rnedout grate-section without drawing the fire or cooling down the furnace to enable access to be had to the grate for repairs thereto, but my improvement overcomes this objection. The bearing-rails of my furnace have continuous ledges or ways, which extend in a straight line throughout the length of the rail, and the upper grate-supportinglength of each rail is main tained in a true straight horizontal conditition, because the rail is kept from warpage by the construction described heretofore to secure the described circulation of air. Should one of the grate sections become burned out or warped to such an extent as to necessitate renewal thereof, it can be removed without drawing the fire by thrusting a suitable implement into the chamber and lifting or pulling out the grate-section, after which the ashes should be cleaned off the bearing-rail, the other grate section or sections at the front 0f the grate shoved backward or moved lengthwise along the bearingrails, and a new grate-section fitted to the rails at the front of the furnace. This. removal of an old grate-section, the adjustment of the sections lengthwise, and the application of a new grate-section vis permitted by my construction, because the bearing-:rails have the straight continuous ways or grooves, and as the sections may be moved lengthwise of the bearing-rails the fireman can readily place the new section in position, because the operation can be effected at the front of the furnace, which is readily accessible for the purpose.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings, it will be seen that I have provided an improved grate, in which provision is made for the circulation of air to have contact with the entire area or surface of the grate, thus providing for the free combustion of fuel on the grate-surface and keeping the temperature ofthe grate at IOO IIO

a minimum, and at the same time anyone of the grate-sections may be readily removed from the bearing-rails in case they become Worn. l

My improvement provides for the renewal of the grate-sections at a minimum cost, insures a full and free circulation of air in contact with the various metallic surfaces of the grate, and reduces the liability of shrinkage and Warpage of the parts.

The improved grate is especially serviceable in the furnaces of marine engines for sea-going vessels, because vessels are not required to carry so great a load of metal as in ordinary grates Where the grate-surface` is continuous, each of my grate-sections being interchangeable for service in proper relation on the bearing-rails.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a grate, the combination with the bearing-rails having the grooves or recesses Vin their opposing faces, of the grate-sections each cast in a single piece with a plurality of grate-bars and with longitudinal supportingbars which lie at right angles to the gratebars, within the ends of the same, and are adapted to rest in the grooves or recessesl of the bearing-rails, said longitudinal bars of the grate-sections being of greater depth than the recesses of the bearing-rails, to sustain the grate-bars in an elevated position above the bearing-rails, substantially as described.

2. Ina stationary grate, the combination with the grooved bearing-rails, of the gratesections each having its longitudinal supportin g-bars tted tothe grooved bearing-rails to y be held thereby against lateral displacement, the 'supporting-bars of each grate-section being of a depth greater than the grooves in the bearing-rails, and supporting the grate-section in an elevated position above said rails,

substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

WILLIAM M. EARL 

